Trap-placing tool



Aug. 9,1927. i 1,638,184

AC. C. CURTIS TRAP PLACING TOOL Filed Maron 11. 1927 Inventor Patented Aug.y 9, 1927.

UNlrlaznA STATES i l 1,638,184 PATENT' oFFlcE.

CLAUDE'C. CURTIS, 0F SILVER LAKE, NEW YORK.

TRAP-PLACING TOOL.

Application filed March 11,

f tool being so constructed as to permit theA use of the same for submerging rats, small animals, and the like that have not been killedvby their capture in the trap, and that have not been drowned by. reason of their capture within the water. A tool of this character is 'further adaptable to use in the raking of grass and leaves Out of animal run-ways for providing a proper bed for the placement ofthe traps.

Vith the foregoing and other objects in view as the nature of therinvention will be better understood, :the same comprises the novel form, combination and. arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawing and claimed.

In the drawing wherein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts 1n. both of the views:

Figure l is a perspective of a trap placing tool constructed in accordance with the present invention, and

Figure 2 is aside elevation thereof as actually associated with a trap disposed beneath the water surface, which trap is disclosed in dotted lines.

Now `having particular reference'to the drawing there is disclosed in dotted lines in Figure 2, a conventional type of spring actuated jaw trap, the jaw shown beingl designated A, while the spring is designated B, this spring being of the conventional turnedover leaf character, and a detailed description theerofis believed unnecessary.

In use of traps of this character for catching under-wateranimals, the vupper portion of the spring leaf B at a point intermediate its ends has attached thereto one end kof anchoring chain C of predetermined length, the -opposite end thereof being suitably anchored by a stake D. lMy lnvention per se is constructed of a narrow strip of 1927. serial No. 174,565.

spring steel so bentas to provide spaced parallel jaws and 6, the lower one of which extends considerably beyond the upper jaw at the forward end thereof, whichv lower jaw is formed at its outer end and opposite edges with upturned lugs 7-7. The material forming the head of the tool .is bent rearwardly over the uppervjaw 6 in'spaced rela- .tion therewith as at 8, and formed upon the outer end rthereof is an upwardly extending circular socketQ for receiving one end of a suitable handle l0. Formed upon the opposite edges of the lower elongated jaw 5 Vare upwardly extending metallicl .strips for forming lingersll, theupper ends of which are bent inwardly as atyl2 above the upper jaw 6 and beneath the rearwardly bent portion of the materialforming thehead which is in spaced relation with' saidjaw 'fas clearly disclosed in both ofthe views.

In actual lpractice after the trap disclosed by dot-ted lines in Figure 2 has been set, the spring B is disposed longitudinally and frictionally between the jaws 5 and 6.

The lugs 7 7 engagingl upon opposite edges of the lower .portion of the spring forpre-r venting the turning'of the samevwithin said jaws.

By grasping thehandle 10, this trap may v then be placed upon the floor of a stream or other shallow body of water to which said trap is anchored by reason of the chain Gand stake D. After the trap has been disposed upon the bottom of thestream the handle 10 fmay be tilted slightly forwardly, for disengaging the lugs 7-7 from the opposite edges -of the lower portion of the spring B, afterr which the tool may be then drawn rearwardly for releasing the same from the spring. After the animal has been caught,the headof the.

tool may be'engaged beneath the water surface and so manipulated as to force the spring B between the jaws `for facilitating the lifting of the trap from the water. Furthermore, when it is desired to 4clear the bottom Aof the stream from grass, leaves and the like so as to provide a fiat surface forl the trap, the head of this tool may be employed as a` rake or scraping tool. n

It will thus be seen that I have provided a highly novel, simple, tool that is well adapted for all the purposes heretofore designated, even though I have herein -shown and described the invention as consisting of certain detail structural elements, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may be made therein without affecting the spirit and scope ot the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what.

edges of the leaf spring so' as to prevent the turning oii the spring within said jaws.

2. In a trap placing tool of the character described, a strip ot spring metal so bent uponitseltl as to provide a pair ot' spaced spring jaws for receiving the bight portion of a trap leaf spring, means associated with Athe end of' one o'l' the jaws 'for engagement over the edges o1 the trap spring, and means whereby a handle member may beass'ociated with one oi" sai-'d' jaws.

3.' In aV trap placing tool of the character described, a strip ot spring metal so bent upon it'seltas to provide a pair olf spaced` spring jaws for receiving lthe bight portion of a trap leaf spring', means associated with the end ot one ot the jaws for engagement over the edges oit the trap spring,

means whereby a handle member may be Vassociated with one ot saidv jaws, and means between the jaws `tor limiting the expansion l of the same.

4.' In a trap placing tool of the cla-ss Vde-V j scribed`7 an arm formed from, a single strip oit spring" metal so bentas to i'orm upper andlower jaws disposed in spaced relation, the 'forward end. 0i theY lower jaw being projected beyond the outer forward endotl the upper jaw, said spaced jaws adapted to receive the bight portion of a jaw top spring, 1 a laterally 4 extending handle receiving` sprocket formed from the strip. s

5. In a trap plaeingtoo-l ofltheclass de scribed toi-med from asingle strip or spring metal, so bent as to forma pair of' spaced jaws between which'Y is received the bight portion oli a jaw trap spring, the lower jaw being oigreater length lthe upper jaw, the treeend portion o'lifthe upper jaw being bent back upon itselfigv and se Vconstructed as to provide a handle receiving socket. v

6. In a trap placing tool of the class described formed fromV `a single stripV or spring metal, as to form-a pai-r of spaced jaws between which i's received the biglitj-)ortion of a jaw trap spring, ,the lower jaw" beingoii greater lengtht-hanvthe upper-jaw, the i'ree end portion of the upper jaw being bent back tipo-nitself and soconstructed as to provide a handle receivingsocket. and'lugs extend .ing upwardly from the side edges o-ifthe ente-r end portion of the lower jaw 'for engagement with thea respective side' edges oi' the `tra-p spring to prevent the turning of the spring with-in thejaws.-

Intestimony whereof I ialiiz'r my signature.

CLAUDE ennrs.

eo f 

